Modern lighting fixtures continue to evolve, incorporating features such as controllers, sensors, remote modules, and the like. These controllers, sensors, and remote modules may allow a lighting fixture to implement lighting programs, respond to the surrounding environment, and be controlled, for example, over a local area network and/or the Internet. One or more sensors may be incorporated into a lighting fixture in order to provide information to the lighting fixture about the surrounding environment. For example, a lighting fixture may include an ambient light sensor to gather information about the ambient light level in the area around the lighting fixture. Additionally, a lighting fixture may include an occupancy sensor to detect when an individual is located near the lighting fixture.
Due to the fact that conventional lighting fixtures are generally only concerned with measuring environmental factors directly related to light output such as ambient light and occupancy, conventional lighting fixtures utilize few, if any, sensors. Further, the measurements obtained from the small number of sensors that are used are generally utilized only within the conventional lighting fixture itself, for example, to control a brightness of light provided by the lighting fixture and/or to determine when to turn ON and OFF. The functionality of conventional lighting fixtures may therefore be limited.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved lighting fixtures and systems.